Alexandria Darkin Year 1:Birth of Shadows
by Lupa Eyed Azule
Summary: Year 1 AU. We all know Harry had no friends growing up. But what if he did? What if this friend helped him accept his Slytherin side? What would change? Find out what happens when Harry Potter met Alexandria Darkin. Indepentent! Slytherin! Slightly Dark!
1. Beginings

Prolouge 

I am Alexandria Darkin. This is my tale. I am not human. I never have been I see that now. Call me what you will monster, demon, murder, mutant, or freak. I have been called many names most of them bad. But I have been many good things to mother, sister, lover, friend. No I have no sisters not by blood at least. And mother? No, maybe some day I'll have some cubs, but I cartinly won't "settle down", but I have at times taken in some poor lostling be they human or not. Lover? Ah, yes I've had some good times. Not all of them were entirly human either. And Friend. I still remember the first one to call me friend. It was a friendship born of shared pain and lonliness. My first and truest friend. The one who accepted me for what and who I am. For I could be no other. Our friendship has stood the teat of time. Even though being his friend has almost gotten me killed more than a few times. I was born on Halloween. Yes Halloween. October 31st. I never knew my parents, if I had any at all. Some speculate that I never had parents, that I was never born. The NeverBorn. It has a ring to it. They say I was created by Death and Darkness. That I am the very embodiment of chaos. Perhaps they are right. Perhaps because I was never born I can never die. Perhaps I will walk this earth for all time.

The early years of my life were a tragedy. Someone dropped me on the doorstep of Saint Gregorys Orphanage. Gregorys was a cruel place and I usually had small cuts and bruises. Only the strong survived Gregorys. I guess you could say my time at Gregorys toughened me up for what was to come next. I became a skilled thief of sorts after all how else was I supposed to get food when the older and stronger kids stole mine. I taught myself to read at an early age. Oh the stuff I learned was always usefull I would read a fantasy book abought a war and learn strategy new words how people thought about animals and weapons and oh so much more. When I was reading I was living the story _I_ was climing mountains _I_ was fighting wars _I _was sneaking into the palace to assassinate the King. I didn't like Gregorys but it was survivable. But were I was going was not. I was picked. You see every year a man would come and all us door drops would stand in a line for inspection and he would take one or more of us with him when he left. Door drops have no names no records that means we didn't exist.

:Scene Change:

I had very strong surival intincts which is why my brain screamed at me to run when he came to Gregorys. But I didn't run fool that I was more afraid of a whipping than the unknown. I didn't know who he was but I didn't like the way he moved or the look in his eye as he gazed at us. His eyes swept over me and my mind panicked screaming for me to run to hide to do something anything. I knew what he saw when he looked at me afterall hadn't I seen myself in the mirror? I wasn't butifull, I was exotic. I looked like the tales of changlings and fairies and Sidhe come to life. I was small petite with long arms and legs. Pale oh so pale skin raven black hair that flowed down my back, but as always it was my eyes that gave me away that hinted at my Otherness that wispered to the mind that this was a unnattural creature something rare and unusual. They were golden-yellow catslitted like kitten eyes. I was picked for my eyes. I wish I would have ran, had I known what awaited me for the next year and a half I would have ran and damn the consequences.

:End Scene Change:

From that day forth my life was a living hell. The man who picked me up delt in child prostitutes. This however was where I met my friend……. Harry Potter. The place we lived and "worked" , please note the heavy sarcasm, also doubled as a dirt cheap motel. The Durleys were going on vacation to some tropical sunny perfectly normal place. However as Miss Figg was visiting relitives and seeing asa babysitter cost more than than a cheap hotel room they left him with us for a week. So ther we where to lonely hurting souls. Needless to say we became fast friends. Nobody touched Harry when I was around. He was off limits. And I enforced this rule with sharp teeth and fast claws. The other childeren, bullys and whimps all of them, steered clear of Harry after the first few fights. I admit I sorta treated him like a favorite stuffed animal. He was mine! As you can tell I was very possesive. When Harry left he made me an offer.

:Scene Change:

The Dursleys were here he was leaving My first friend. They would hurt him I knew they would. They hated him. I could see it in there eyes. "Alex?" Harry said. I had told him my name, no one else knew my name the name I had chose for myself, Alexandria Darkin. His voice trambles and there was a seriousness in his nine year old eyes. He spoke softly in a whisper "I'll…… I'll hide you. If you ever escape I'll hide you in my cubord and feed you. You can come out at night when the Durleys are asleep." :Hide me: He meant it. I knew he meant it. Excitement coursed thru my system. I could run. I hadn't run away before because I would die on the streets. Killed by a gang, dead of starvation or frostbite. On the streets I would be dead before the week was out. But Harry offered me a place to stay. I woudn't go hungy or be cold, I wouldn't be sleeping on the steet. And I would be with Harry, my best friend. "I'll come." I said. My eyes were watering, "I'll follow you when I can."

:End Scene Change:

So he left with them. It took me three months to escape. I was dying to get out. And die I did.


	2. Escape,Death,andChanges

**Chapter 1**

**:Scene Change/ P.O.V Change:**

**The man entered Alex's room. He had salt & cinnimin hair and brown eyes. He was well dressed. He shut the door. :The latch didn't click.: You see the doors can't be opened from the inside and locked atomaticallt when closed. :This is my chance. The door didn't lock if I can get past him I can get out. And then it's strait to Number 4 Pivert Drive Little Winging, Surrey. : **

**The man walked further into the room undoing the buttons on his shirt. He was fat and reeked of money. He probably worked for a big corperation. A real upstanding citizen. Overconfident that he could handle one 'kid'. Not this kid, he couldn't.**

**Alex darted forward suddenly dashing under his hastily outflung arm past him. She pulled at the door:Please, please by all the Gods be open:, and it Opened! She raced down the hall and pounded down the stairs.**

**Alex was a slim, fast child with pale skin and waist length midnight black hair. Her face was fey like with an elfish quality. But it was her eyes that set her apart. Golden yellow cat eyes with slit pupils. Her eyes where the greatest hints at an ancestry that had existed for millenia. With her eyes she could see in the dark making the night time her playground. She liked the dark, it was Safe.**

**Alex heard the man start down after her yelling for her to stop. She was halfway down the next hall when she was brought to an arupt (and painful) stop.**

**:Damn long hair: She cursed. Alex's hair had billowed out behind her as she ran. The man had longer legs than her so he got just close enuff to grab her hair. Alex was jerked back and whirled around to face the man with the intention of clawing him so he would let go. The man had a knife and as Alex lept for his face the knife slipped in between her ribs and sliced her heart in two. **

**She fell back off the knife. Blood began to gush from the wound. Her heart stopped. Breathing ceased. The light faded from her eyes. She died.**

'** Alex's P.O.V.'**

**I felt the knife go in past my ribs to my heart. I fell back. I tried to draw breath but I couldn't. My severed heart tried to beat but could not. :I'm not ready. I don't want to die.: You would figure that with a life like mine you would welcome death. A final release from the pain that was my life. But I didn't. I refused to give up. Refused to stop fighting. I fought death to my last breath and beyond because I was a fighter. **

**My vision grew splotchy then went black. I Died.**

**My mind rippled. Time stretched and contracted a millenia was a second and a second was a millenia. There had always been a wall in my mind a force that separated a part of myself from myself. At time just before I drifted into deep sleep it would whisper to me. It whispered of wounderouse thinge. It walked thru my deames and left me feeling loved and cared for, courageous and fearless even if I cound not remember what the dreams where about nor even catch a glimpse of them. Now the wall shattered and the pieces of my soul were reunited.**

**I felt a rush of heat of power of an all consuming joy. And my wound healed. I drew a blessed breath of air. :Thank you.: (Who I said Thank You to I don't know.) The only evidence that I had ever been wounded was the blood soaking my clothes. Not even a scar remained. **

**I drew another breath. The man backed away confusion written on his face. Then the Hunter came.**

**The Hunter was the part of my soul that had been behind the barrier. **

**I shifted. **

**My body changed into the Hunter. **

**Pain. **

**The Change was pain as my bones shifted and formed new shapes. I grew fangs and claws. My skin scales. A tail sprouted. My ears mygrated to the top of my skull. Finally I was done after almost a full minuet of pure agony that left me panting on the floor. The Hunters mind slipped in and took control of this new and slightly unfirmilier body. Unfimilier and yet it felt right somehow like I was coming home. Like the human form I had inhabited all my life was nothing more than a shell.**

**I wasn't full grown. As a girl I was a tiny eight year old I only weighed 35 to 40 pounds. But I was a big…… Hunter, I guess. I was the size of a full grown medium sized dog. Of course I was still a puppy so it's safe to say I would grow a whole lot BIGGER. I was canid with a greyhound/great dane build. Tall and lean soild frame and whipcord thin. I was build for two things, power and speed. I looked like a cross between a coursing hound and a snake, a viper that is. My legs were longer than a normal dog as was my neck. Despite my oviouse canid alikeness I wasn't covered in fur but in mignight black scales. They were all over and the same deep color as my hair. I had cristiline claws on all four paws. My curved fangs where ivory white and like a snake had poisin in them. My eyes were the same glowing cat slit yellow. I was built for the hunt. Graceful and deadly. I was wicked fast (although I didn't have the endurance yet) I would be able to go on days long hunts. **

**The man dropped the knife "Demon," he breathed it in a sound that was barely a whisper. The Hunters mind locked on him her attention focused. He had hurt her now she would hurt him. I sprang forward and up. He threw an arm across his throut but it didn't help, I bit his arm sinking my fangs deep as the salty coppery tang of his blood flooded my mouth. I injected the venom. He died very quickly. **

**I flowed down the steps and out into the night. As we/I paced down the deserted streets slipping along in the shadows avoiding the lamps strung along the streets a question came to mind :What now: She answed herself the human part whispered :Number 4 Pivert Drive Little Winging, Surrey: **

**And under the light of the fullmoon she started off at a fast lope that was almost a run.**


	3. The Hunt, Home at Last

Chapter 2

The Hunter took over.

The Hunters instructions were clear.

Find Harry.

And so she would.

Her mind fell into patters ancient beyond recall. She began The Hunt. Once The Hunt began it would not, could not, be stopped untill the quarry was found. Of course this didn't mean that she was hunting Harry in the full sense of the word. Of course not. Not all Hunts end in death some Hunts were like scavanger hunts they were a hunt to find someone. She set off avoiding all living things and bright lights. Her lope could cover a hundred miles in a single night.She would be at Harry's house at around dawn. Her thoughts were filled with the here and now she couln't regret past actions for they no longer mattered. Her mind was not concerned or bothered with what she had done. The man she had killed was going to and had already threatened her exestince. As a threat he had to be eliminated. He was not pack and he was not pup. Pups even human pups were off limits pups were not Prey. And Pack was not enemy. Pack was friends Pack was bothers and sisters and pups Pack was family. The Hunters thoughts filled with images of Harry. Harry was Pack.

She ran into forest and moor country this was life. The earth flew beneath her paws. Her ears cought the sounds of the night, of sleeping birds and crickets. And her nose! Human noses are dull and boring stunted things barely able to smell at all. Her sense of smell was dazzaling. A rich tapestry lais out for her and her alone to unravel. She could track a week old trail. Out of a herd of herbivours with one sniff she could tell the health of the entire herd. But it was not with any of these senses that she tracked Harry. It was a sixth sense that all creatures great and small had to some degree. Yes even humans. Mothers Intuition and a Gut Feeling were the names given to this sense. All that this sense was was a absolute certinty that Harry was in _this_ direction.

As Alex traveled she began to think over what she had done. She had killed a man. Did that make her evil? Was she bad? What…what if Harry hated her for what she had done. Her heart told her it was self-defence that he deserved it. That it wasn't murder it was justice. But her conscience screamed at her. _What did you do?You murdered him! Murders belong in jail! _And she began to wonder did she belong in jail? And if there was such a place a s Hell would she go there? Of course not she told herself it was self-defence and she did not belong in jail, and Hell couldn't possibly be any worse than the place she had escaped from. She had done nothing wrong. So there! But what about Harry? Would he hate her be disgusted? Alex didn't know but she hopedthat Harry would she her side of it. Harry would know weather or not she was guilty of murder she just knew he would.

That morning as the sun rose she arrives at Harry's house. Tired and footsore she loped around to the back door.The dawns first rays struck her glimmering scales and once more she was in agony.

The Change went backward this time as bones went back to human shape ears migrated south. Snout receded. Knees unreversed. Tail dissappeared. Pale human skin replaced shiny midnight scales. Her hair sprouted back to it's waist length cascade. She lay on the Dursley's back door step panting from the lingering pain. She slowly stood wiping away blood from the lip she had almost bit through to keep from screaming. But Alex was no stranger to pain. She never screamed after the first few times it gave them to much satisfaction. It was then the situation struck her. She was standing at the back door of Number 4 Pivert Drive Little Winging Surrey With NO Clothes On. The Change had ripped her clothes (the litter that there were) to shreds. She went to a window she had to get inside before someone saw her. She called quietly, "Harry!". After about thirty seconds that felt like years to Alex Harry poked his head out of the cuboard under the stairs. His eyes widened with joy and surprise when he saw her face in the window.

She walked thru the paseges of time absorbing the wisdom of the pack-mother before her. Though she did not understand half of what she learned for most of the knowledge is based on instinct which humans are very poor at. She awoke some hours later to the sounds of snores and wheezes (the former being Dudly and Vernon and the later being Petunia). Alex nuged Harry with her nose shivering with the surrpressed desire to run and to hunt. Which was intirly understandable when you consider that she had had no food for almost two days had run almost a hunded miles in those two day and changed three times. Indeed it was quite a feat that she was still on her feet for the changing took an emense amount of energy. Harry opened the door to the cubord silenty sneaking out on catlike feet. Alex followed behind him carefully hoping that her nails didn't click. They didn't. On there way out the back door which was in the kitchen Alex paused. She went to the refrigerater and looked at Harry with puppy dog eyes. Of course these puppy dog eyes were more likely to give you nightmares than anything else. But Alex was pretty good at it thank you very much and convinced Harry to give her the leftover lasanga that no one would miss. "And besides if Aunt Petunia misses it she'll just think Dudly had a midnight snack." Harry confessed. Then they where out! She dashed abought in joy. Remembering not to stray to far from Harry. Harry started down one of the streets staying in the shadows saying, "Come on the parks this way."

Alex followed Harry as he crossed allyways and thru peoples back yards untill they got to the park. Then she took off tearing around trees and playground equipment running for the sheer joy of it. Then she ran back to Harry and _Tag your it!_ He was it there was no mastaking that guesture and she ran always a few steps infront of him doubling back and sitting down a little ways away to watch him untill he almost had her… and then she was off again. A few hours latter they collapsed into a pile of leaves exausted. But Alex was restless she was Hungry! She gave voice to a little whine ,the first noise she had made all night, and got up. She trotted off following her nose. She looked back over her shoulder to see if harry was following. He was. He soon cought up and walking at her side began to talk about the places they passed and how glad he was that she was here. Now his friend was here his only friend mind you but as far as Harry was concerned no one could be a better friend than Alex. And so she would prove to be.

Almost a year passed Alex changed only on night when the moon was full. As she came to look forward to the change the pain decreased because she nolonger fought it but instead welcomed it. That was the year they both turned nine and Alex who wandered around during the day (Harry let her out before the Dursleys woke) had discovered the public library. She could spend all day in there reading abought vampires and werewolves and deamons. Dragons were her personal favorite. Acually any thing large and dangeruse was a must like especially if it was butiful. Of course her idea of butiful wasn't what most girls where she thought (and rightly so) that tiger, wolves, leopards and even hyenas were butiful! But she did not like bugs no sir re bob. Those littly creepy crallies gaver her the creeps. Snakes however where a favorite of hers they where scaly reptilian killers, they were perfect. She even go to watch National Geographics once in a while. One she read a book of quotes at said that education was the road to success. And Alex very much wanted to succed. The only problem was she had never gone to school nor could she now. So she read books on math english history science and had Harry teach her all he knew. It was tough but she with persurvirence (and a lot of long breaks) she got thru and by her ninth birthday has a eighth grade knowledge level. Pretty inpressive for a nine year old. This wasalso the year Dudleys gang became aware of her existance and she showed no mercy.

It was summer that ment that Harry now had more time to spend with Alex. The third day of summer to be exact. Alex and Harry were heading for the Icecream Shop to but an Icecream to share and arguing which was the better flavor stawberry(Harry) or chocolate(Alex) ,and for the record Alex is a chocoholic. Alex had earned the money from an old lady down the street for taking out her trash. Meanwhile Dudley and his gang were board with a capital B. So they decided a little Harry Hunting was in order. They soon spotted Harry and Alex. They of course where properly shocked The Freak had a friend that wasn't alowed. They figured two against five was good odds. It was good odds but not for them. Alex knew a thing or two about fighting of course this wasn't fist fighting or kickboxing nope Alex knew to fight with teeth and claws. Her nail were naturally long but her teeth were her main weapon. As she had accepted the change her teeth had grown into perfect little kittenish fangs. Sadly ther was no poisin in them but they did pack quite the punch.

"Hey girl!" called Dudly. Alex and Harry were blocked three in front and two on the road behind. Dudly continued talking "What are you doing hanging out with the freak, don't you know that hanging out with him earns a beating." Alex however was used to threats and some fat mama's boy didn't scare her at all and she told him so "And I supose you're the one who's going to eh lardo?" her sneer was picture perfect.

One "Get 'em!" from Dudley and the fight was on. They grabbed Harry first or should I say tried to grab him as he easily evaded them giving Polkison a bloody nose in the prosses. Alex had spun around and fast as lightning sliced across the face on one of the two behind them. The other one reched out and grabbed both her arms at the wrist. "Gotcha!" he called in short lived triumph as Alex with a decidedly canid growl sunk her fangs in his arm …

…and jerked. He screamed 'AAAHHHHhhhhhhhhh!" She let go as vivid red blood flowed down his arm. The fight stopped for a moment as the slow minds of Dudley and the others tried to comprehended what had happened. Needless to say they ran.

"Yeowch."Harry comented as they hightailed it out of there. He felt no more remorse than Alex for the damage they had done. The wound wasn't life threating and Dudley's gang had been planning to beat them up.

After that Dudley's gang left them alone. And if Dudley even thought about hitting Harry all Harry had to do was mention Alex. Alex continued to do odd jobs earning herself a small nest egg. This came in handy on full moons because Harry could buy her a roast. Of course she ate it raw but hey it was better (much better) than leftovers from the garbage.

**It was when they were ten that Alex and Harry discoved one new and one not so new abilities. One was the abilitie to talk to snakes. Yes they both had it. After saving a few snakes lives they became snake friends. A special hounor that meant that they could call on the snakes for help anytime and the snakes would respond. But this went both ways and so the snakes could call on them as well.**

**And so the next two years passed. While not being able to gorge themseves they had enuff food. And more importantly they were no longer alone. For the now had each other. Even when they were unhappy even when they wished to cry out aginst the harsh unjustice of the world, when they cried in the middle of the night as they remembered the horrors of their past. They had the other there. A shoulder to cry on. And that was truly all they ever needed.**


	4. Hogwarts and Snape?

**Chapter 3**

**Then came the summer that world change both their lives forever. A change that would plunge two children into a world where they would be tested again and again. Proving that they were truly Predators and not Prey to be picked off like sheep to the slaughter.**

**That was the year they received their Hogwarts letters.**

**Harry and Alex slipped thru the street shadows on their way back from the exotic book store, it dealt primarily in alternate religions like Wicca. Cassius, a golden cobra they had rescued and who had attached himself to them, was contentedly curled around Alex's shoulders. They were confronted quite suddenly while trying to exit a alley that gave out onto the street. A strangely dressed darkman stepped from the shadow. He looked them over his eyes fell on Harry and he almost snarled the word, "Potter."**

**Harry's' eyes narrowed at the name. Alex observed this stranger. He was tall with black hair and eyes. His skin was shallow from lack of sun. And he wore black robes. Maybe he was looking for the bookstore. But why did he say Harry's name with such hate? She inhaled.**

**The smell of herbs and animal parts, of damp dark stone. Her sixth sense tingled. :Wizard…: The Hunter growled as it rose from the depths of her mind prepared to help defend herself in any way possible. "You haven't been getting your letters" he looked at Alex "you either Miss Darkin."**

**Alex remembered Harry telling her about the letters for them that Dursley's had burned. They had moved Harry into the smallest bedroom shortly after. It had a window. Which meant Alex could come and go as she pleased.**

**The man sneered and with a snarled, "Here are your letters." Practically threw them at Harry and Alex. Alex opened hers at the same time as Harry trusting the, yet, unnoticed Cassius to watch the strange man. **

**It read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL**

**_of_ WITCHCRAFT _and_ WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

_(Order of Merlin. First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)_

**Dear Ms.Darkin**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. **

**Term begins on September 1. We await you owl by no later then July 31.**

**Minerva McGonagall**

Deputy Headmistress 

**Alex looked at harry and quickly they exchanged letters. His read exactly the same as hers, well except for the name. Harry looked up at the man. "Excuse me sir, but what does it mean they await our owl?"**

**And before he could answer Alex jumped in with, "And who exactly might you be, Sir?"**

**The man sneered at them, "I am Professor Severus Snape. And if you accept I will be taking your answer back to Hogwarts."**

**Harry and Alex exchanged silent glances considering the offer. Finally Harry shrugged and answered, "We accept."**

"**Wonderful," he said with such sarcasm that it was clear it was everything but wonderful, "I'll be by at sever o'clock sharp to pick you up for your school shopping."**

**With that he turned on his heel walking away before disappearing with a sharp "pop" of displaced air.**


End file.
